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For more than 100 years the Society of Professional Journalists has been dedicated to encouraging a climate in which journalism can be practiced more freely and fully, stimulating high standards and ethical behavior in the practice of journalism and perpetuating a free press.

About the Foundation

Since its founding in 1961, the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation has promoted excellence and ethics in journalism. The SDX Foundation is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization that supports the educational programs of the Society of Professional Journalists and serves the professional needs of journalists and students pursuing careers in journalism.

Excellence in Journalism 2015Sept 18-20, 2015 – Orlando

Excellence in Journalism is the national journalism conference of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Radio Television Digital News Association. Join us in September in Orlando for training, networking, workshops and more!

SPJ News

SPJ Blogs: Newest Posts

Quill Headlines

Journalist's Toolbox

@SPJ_Tweets

Connect with SPJ

SPJ on Facebook

Upcoming Eventsand Deadlines

Become an SPJ Member

For more than 100 years the Society of Professional Journalists has been dedicated to encouraging a climate in which journalism can be practiced more freely and fully, stimulating high standards and ethical behavior in the practice of journalism and perpetuating a free press.

About the Foundation

Since its founding in 1961, the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation has promoted excellence and ethics in journalism. The SDX Foundation is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization that supports the educational programs of the Society of Professional Journalists and serves the professional needs of journalists and students pursuing careers in journalism.

Excellence in Journalism 2015Sept 18-20, 2015 – Orlando

Excellence in Journalism is the national journalism conference of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Radio Television Digital News Association. Join us in September in Orlando for training, networking, workshops and more!

The Bush administration will focus more on protecting the privacy of individuals, institutions and corporations as it applies the federal Freedom of Information Act. The Society of Professional Journalists has expressed its disappointment in the new policy and has urged Attorney General John Ashcroft to not use national security concerns as an excuse to hide large amounts of public records.The administration’s approach to FOIA was revealed on Oct. 12 in a memo from Ashcroft to federal departments and agencies.Ashcroft’s memo establishes a new FOIA policy which replaces the policy enacted in October 1993 by then-Attorney General Janet Reno.Each new attorney general customarily establishes a new FOIA policy upon assuming office. While Ashcroft’s memo refers to the merits of FOIA in relation to government accountability and the exposure of fraud and waste, it stresses privacy issues.“Any discretionary decision by your agency to disclose information protected under the FOIA should be made only after full and deliberate consideration of the institutional, commercial, and personal privacy interests that could be implicated by disclosure of the information,” it states. Ashcroft’s memo also instructs agencies to consult with Justice Department lawyers, including civil litigation lawyers, “when significant FOIA issues arise.”

Additionally, President Bush is said to be ready to support a new, “narrowly crafted,” exemption to FOIA to allow certain private sector information on computer information security to remain secret. In particular, the exemption would cover reports of security breaches or other problems in corporate information systems. The Associated Press reported the story on Oct. 18, after a speech by John Tritak, director of the administration’s Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office. The AP reported that the new exemption would “overcome traditional reluctance by industries, especially technology, to reveal potentially embarrassing details without fear of disclosure.”

For more information on the Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office and the newly-created Critical Infrastructure Protection advisory board, visit:http://www.ciao.gov.

SPJ FOI ALERT SUBSCRIPTION NOTE To subscribe to the Society of Professional Journalists FOI Alert, contact SPJ at spj@spj.org or call 317/927-8000. In your message, provide your name, organization, mailing address, e-mail address, phone number and fax number. There is no fee. We strongly encourage the wide dissemination and publication of these alerts in other forums.

The Society of Professional Journalists works to improve and protect journalism. The organization is the nation's largest and most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press.